Disc Disorders

Treatment for Disc Disorders From Our Aurora Chiropractor

Neck pain, back pain, tingling or pain in the arms or legs — these symptoms can seriously derail your basic comfort, ability to function, and overall quality of life. In many cases, these symptoms stem from a problem afflicting one or more of the cushioning discs positioned between your spinal vertebrae.

Disc disorders can play major roles in neurological dysfunction, chronic joint inflammation, and referred pain to various parts of the body. The good news is that you can usually find relief from these symptoms without turning to surgical procedures — with the aid of our Aurora chiropractor at Total Wellness Center, Dr. Geersen.

What Is a “Slipped Disc?”

You’ve probably heard the term “slipped disc” before without really knowing what it meant. It’s actually used interchangeably to describe a couple of primary disc disorders:

Bulging disc – A vertebral disc is a touch, hollow structure made of cartilage and collagen. This structure, the annulus fibrosus, is filled with a gelatinous material called the nucleus pulposus. As your discs age, the nucleus pulposus loses some of its water content. This not makes it more rigid; it also causes it to shrink, flatten, and bulge outward. This process is often referred to as degenerative disc disease. The flattening of the disc reduces the space between vertebrae, which in turn strains the facet joints that connect adjacent vertebrae. The result may be chronic neck or back pain caused by joint inflammation and arthritis. A bulging disc can also push against spinal nerve roots, causing neurological symptoms.

Herniated disc – A herniation often occurs as the final stage of a bulging disc, but an acute injury can also bring it on spontaneously. When pressure on the disc causes the annulus fibrosus to weaken, the weakened area may balloon outward. The cartilage may then rupture, allowing some of the nucleus pulposus to escape. a herniated disc can be extremely painful, not only for the neurological compression it may create, but also because the nerves of the damaged disc can be highly sensitive.

Disc disorders can cause debilitating back or neck pain — and that might be just the beginning of your troubles. Pressure on the nerve roots of the cervical spine can cause communication “misfires” throughout an arm or hand, producing pain, weakness, tingling or loss of sensation. This problem is called cervical radiculopathy. A similar problem may occur in a leg or foot if a lumbar disc herniation compresses sciatic nerve tissue, a common complaint known as sciatica.

Non-Surgical Bulging or Herniated Disc Treatment at Total Wellness Center

Here at Total Wellness center, we can use non-surgical methods to relieve nerve pressure and help your discs function more normally. Our chiropractor will first X-ray your spine and look for the classic signs of an acute misalignment or degenerative disc disease. We will also note the location and nature of your back, neck or extremity symptoms. Once we know exactly which discs are involved, we can prescribe an all-natural, multi-modal bulging or herniated disc treatment plan. Your individualized plan may include:

Chiropractic adjustment – Chiropractic adjustment can correct alignment and positional problems that place your discs under unnatural stress. Our use of the instrument-assisted Activator Technique lets us deliver gentle, accurate, low-force adjustments to any part of the spinal column.